The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-08-30

a Mysterious xdshs Over the WRECK Of
the Marine CITY.

City, Plying Detween DotSoib "no A~"A0
Huron ports, caught fire just on Har-,
risville and was run near shore when
the passengers were nearly all rescued.
after struggle in the water, and the
hull sank.
She had been at one time fine craft
and a favorite passenger boat. In one
Of my trips along that shore I CHANGED
to fall in company with dweller OK
that country and tho conversation
turned upon the mystery that followed
the destruction of that old craft.
Have you ever heard Of the phan-
tom light which can be seen at mid
night on the anniversary of the burning
of the Marine City," asked an intelli'
gent old fisherman.
II never did; no, what is it?"
Come out here on tho dock with me
tonight ct IL o'clock and you will see."
accepted the invitation, and at the
appointed hour We strolled out on tho
pier; and while we were on the way,
"There, look, said he, and sure enough,
as plain as the stars that twinkeled in
in the heavens, a light, apparently q
lantern, lowered above and around the
old wreck.
confess I wns somewhat starteled,
and rubbed my eyes to make sure it was
no optical illusion. 1t moved about
slowly Us If carried by some unseen
hand. Was it not some boatman NOV
ing about? No, for it was not SO dark
nor SO far away but a small boat could
have been seen and heard.
did not like to give it up, and so we
engaged boat and rowed up the shore
toward the light. The crisp, evening
air was as still as if hushed in sleep,
and as bent to the oars with o
vigorous will 1 instinctivly feathered
them and handled them as
noiselessly as if engaged in
some midnight adventure requiring
nerve and daring. Somehow the love
of adventure does not seem to desert us
as we creep out OF our boyhood and
enter the sedate period of manhood;
and the desire to fathom the unfathon-
able is part Of most mems nature.
The old fisherman entered heartily into
the spirit OF the occasion and offered
to relieve me at the oars.
you're good 'un at the oar, but II
| your hand is not in you'll lame your
self, for it's good mile up there"
Easing up bit and pulling more
cautiously I glanced over my shoulder
toward the light. 1t seemed to be re-
ceding, kind Of ignis fatuus; and
again I doubled over the oars.
Soon we were ct the old sdnken hull,
but the light had disappeared. We
rowed around the burnt wreck resting
| in shallow water and looked down into
| its coal black depths, but could see no
cause for phosphorescent lights. Then
we rowed to the shore and examined
the banks-sand and gravel-nothing
else; no swamp or rotten wood, nor
stream of water near; in fact nothing,
that could discover, that would cause
this will -the-wisp.
We got into the boat and my com.
| panion seemed depressed and inclined
| to silence, and saw that he was seized
with sort of superstition, and so l
| thought to distract his thoughts q lit
tie and drew him out as to his theory
regarding the mystery, and this was 1t
| HYou believe that men have souls
that live after death ?"
II most certainly do"
well, don't you believe that souls
have the power to talk to us in one way
or another?"
VI am not so sure about that"
you've heard of folks dreaming about
some Of their friends being in danger
and soon after get word that the dan
ger was real, and possibly their friends
died in the very hour they were
dreamed about. Now, what would yor
call it?"
"well, I should call it communica,
ton with the spirit world that don,
care to have anything to do with until
have done with this world"
"Then you are not o spiritualist
see?"
"Not if 1 know myself; unless in thu
sense that all professedly Christian peo
pie whether really or professediy l d.
not say) are spiritualists, to certain ex
tent. But what about that light? You ar
getting onto theology; the light, what il
III"
"well, sir, I'll tell you what I thinl
il is. 1t was said that the Marine Cit,
was set on FIRE by one Of the decl
hands or firemen ont Of revenge TO-
some real or imaginary wrong, and tina
he was one Of the few that was 1857
and my opinion is, il that is true, tina
he is doomed as punishment to brinI